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A large teaching hospital staffed by over 4,000 physicians, nurses, researchers, and allied caregivers, Rambam is Northern Israel’s largest hospital, a tertiary referral center for a population of over 2 million people.

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Endocrinology centers in Israel (Page 1 of 1)

About Hypopituitarism Treatment

This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.

What is hypopituitarism?

This is a disorder which occurs when there is decreased secretion of some or all of the hormones produced by the pituitary gland. Hypopituitarism may also be referred to as pituitary insufficiency.

Causes of hypopituitarism include:

Brain tumor

Head trauma

Brain surgery

Subarachnoid hemorrhage

Radiation therapy

Stroke

Tumors of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus

Infections or inflammation of the brain and the tissues that support the brain

Sometimes hypopituitarism is due to metabolic diseases or uncommon immune system such as:

Sarcoidosis

Hemochromatosis

Lymphocytic hypophysitis

Histiocytosis

Symptoms

Symptoms may develop slowly and may greatly vary depending on the number of hormones that are missing, the severity of the disorder and the organs they affect. They include:

Dizziness or fainting

Excessive urination and thirst

Lack of sex drive

Abdominal pain

Decreased appetite leading to loss of weight

Low blood sugar

Failure to lactate

Fatigue and weakness

Loss of body hair

Headaches

Infertility in both men and women

Sensitivity to cold

Low blood pressure

Short height of less than 5 feet

Changing voice or hoarseness

Joint stiffness

Slowed growth and sexual development in children

Stopping of menstrual periods in women

Vision problems

Face swelling

Unintentional weight gain

Diagnostic tests may include:

Brain CT scan

Pituitary MRI

Serum estradiol (estrogen)

Serum ACTH

Serum cortisol

Serum luteinizing hormone (LH)

Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)

Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)

Serum testosterone level

Thyroid hormone (T4)

Serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

Treatment

Treatment of hypopituitarism is based on three factors: treating the underlying cause, treating the hormone deficiencies and addressing any other problems that arise from the hormone deficiencies.

Underlying cause

The tumor may be removed surgically by an operation through the nose and sinuses. This procedure is known as Trans-sphenoidal surgery. In addition to addressing symptoms related to the tumor, it may also improve pituitary function. However, the gland is sometimes further damaged as a result of the surgery.

The tumor may be removed by opening the skull, a procedure known as a craniotomy. Recovery from this procedure is less likely although sometimes this is the only suitable way to approach the tumor. Retesting the pituitary hormone levels is then performed two to three months after the surgery because it may take some time for hormone levels to change significantly.

Some tumors may respond to dopamine agonist treatment. This is a medication that imitates the action of dopamine. This approach usually improves pituitary hormone secretion and makes supplementary treatment unnecessary.

Other specific underlying causes are treated as normally.

Hormone replacement

If your hypopituitarism is caused by low levels of hormones you will need lifelong hormone medicines. These will replace hormones that are no longer made by organs under the control of the pituitary gland. These may include:

Thyroid hormone

Growth hormone

Corticosteroids (cortisol)

Sex hormones such as testosterone for men and estrogen for women

Medications are also available to treat related infertility that occurs in men and women

Prognosis

Once hypopituitarism develops, it is usually permanent and requires lifelong treatment with one or more medications. You can expect a normal lifespan although the quality of life may be reduced.